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Habitats and feeding of the Auckland Island Banded Dotterel (Charadrius bicinctus exilis Falla 1978) in autumn

  • Publication Type

    Journal

  • Publication Year

    1980

  • Author(s)

    Pierce, R. J.

  • Journal Name

    Notornis

  • Volume, Issue

    27, 4

  • Pagination

    309-324

  • Article Type

    Paper

Keywords

habitats, feeding, Auckland Island Banded Dotterel, Charadrius bicinctus exilis


Habitats and feeding of the Auckland Island Banded Dotterel (Charadrius bicinctus exilis Falla 1978) in autumn

Notornis, 27 (4), 309-324

Pierce, R. J. (1980)

Article Type: Paper

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The feeding behaviour of the Auckland Island Banded Dotterel (Charadrius bicinctus exilis Falla 1978) was studied at Enderby Island for 12 days in April 1980. Up to 155 dotterels were at Derry Castle Reef, foraging along the rocky shore, frequenting several habitats from the maritime zone to the sublittoral fringe at low tide. The midlittoral zone was the source of the greatest biomass of food and may be even more important in the future as the maritime sward regenerates to taller denser vegetation. Only 15-20% of daylight time was spent foraging, with peaks at early morning, noon and evening. Amphipods up to 2 cm long were staple diet. They were obtained mainly by pecking in algae (seaweed) and in rock pools. The other prey was large also, comprising polychaetes, oligochaetes, isopods, crabs, insects and spiders. Probably most or all of the population winters at Derry Castle Reef.